Kasimdzhanov: 'Nerves will prevail'

9/15/2005 – Rustam Kasmidzhanov was the surprise winner of the last FIDE (knock-out) world championship in Tripoli, defeating the likes of Ivanchuk, Grischuk, Topalov and Adams on his way to the title. In San Luis the GM from Uzbekistan will defend his title. Here he answers the ten obligatory questions of the organiser.

Find the right combination! ChessBase 15 program + new Mega Database 2019 with 7.6 million games and more than 70,000 master analyses. Plus ChessBase Magazine (DVD + magazine) and CB Premium membership for 1 year!

The FIDE World Chess Championship will take place in the Hotel Potrero de
los Funes Complex, in the Province of San Luis, Argentina, from September 27
to October 16, 2005.

WCC San Luis 2005 Press Release

Kasimdzhanov:
“He who deals best with the pressure will probably prevail”

When talking to the Press Office of the World Chess Championship San Luis
2005, Rustam Kasimdzhanov said that this competition will be very interesting
and full of fight. The player from Uzbekistan assured that, “at the end,
the pressure will be very high, and he who deals best with it will probably
prevail”. For the 2004 FIDE world champion “Anand is perhaps the
best at the moment”. The tips for winning will be “energy, plus
good nerves”. He was a little bit ironic when asked why people shouldn’t
miss this event: “Maybe because there will be the strongest players playing
the best chess?” Talking about Argentina, he named “tango, steak,
and Capablanca-Alekhine match in Buenos Aires”.

Ten questions

1. What are your expectations about this important competition?

I expect it to be very interesting and full of fight, because all eight players
will be trying to win.

2. How do you evaluate the way of play of this competition? (Double round-robin)

Playing 14 rounds of classical chess is very exhausting. At the end, the pressure
will be very high and he who deals best with it will probably prevail.

3. Which are your favourite players among your seven opponents? And who
will be the toughest?

Anand is perhaps the best at the moment; although in such an event they will
all be equally tough.

4. How are you preparing yourself for the WCC Argentina 2005?

I would not open the details of my preparation yet; nor would others!

5. Do you think that you will be coming being in your best competition
level?

I hope so.

6. Which will be the "tips" to win the competition?

Energy, plus good nerves.

7. Will this tournament be very different from all the others you have
already played?

The format and participants resemble Linares very much.

8. Will the spectators be seeing "new things" in the way of
playing?

A lot of new opening ideas to be sure!

9. Why should spectators not miss this championship?

Maybe because there will be the strongest players playing the best chess?

10. Name the first things that come into your mind when you think of Argentina.

Tango, steak, and Capablanca-Alekhine match in Buenos Aires.

Short biography

Rustam Kasimdzhanov: Grandmaster. born on December 5th, 1979 in Uzbekistan.
With a solid game and excellent theoretical preparation he was the great surprise
at Tripoli 2004 World Championship, defeating world’s best players Vasily
Ivanchuk, Zoltan Amasi, Alexander Grischuk, and Veselin Topalov among others.
In the final match he defeated British Michael Adams becoming FIDE’s
World Champion. His Elo: 2670.

See also

11/28/2018 – The moment we've all been waiting for! Live games (for Premium members) from the 2018 World Championship match in London. Every two games will be followed by a rest day until Game 12 (if necessary) on November 26th which will be preceded by an additional rest day. All rounds start at 15:00 UT (London time) / 16:00 CEST / 10:00 EST. If needed there would be a rapid tiebreak match on Wednesday, November 28th. | Photos: Patricia Claros

See also

8/27/2018 – Live games and commentary from Saint Louis! Fabiano Caruana, Magnus Carlsen and Levon Aronian tied for first place, while Caruana also tied for fourth place in the Grand Chess Tour standings with Wesley So, forcing a playoff match to be held on Tuesday. | Graphic: Saint Louis Chess Club

Video

Former World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik liked to play the French and once described it as a 'difficult and dangerous opening'. But in this 60 minutes video IM Andrew Martin suggests an aggressive and little-used idea of the renowned attacking player GM Viktor Kupreichik to counter the French: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Be3!?. Andrew Martin uses the games of Kupreichik to show why this line could catch many French aficionados unprepared and is very dangerous for Black. Attacking players will love this line and the unusual complications that it promotes.

Enjoy the best moments of recent top tournaments (World Cup, Isle of Man Open) with analysis of top players. In addition you'll get lots of training material. For example 10 new suggestions for your opening repertoire.